Hit-and-run victim warns of fake accounts taking donations

A hit-and-run victim has a warning about fraud.

Ahynte Heard tells Action News Jax two fake Cash App accounts collected donations that were meant for him.

Heard faced more than $40,000 dollars in medical bills after a hit-and-run crash on I-95 two weeks ago left him paralyzed from the chest down.

His friends made him a GoFundMe account to help pay for bills, but some of that money didn’t go to him.

“[a friend] said, ‘hey, I just sent you $500, did you get it in your Cash App?’ and I said ‘no,’” Heard told Action News Jax.

“We went in to panic mode, because she sent $500, but I didn’t get it, that’s a substantial amount of money. She sends me a screenshot of where she sent the money and my jaw just dropped.”

Heard says he found two fake Cash App accounts that used his business logo and a shorter version of his name so that the accounts would pop up first when typed into the search bar.

“You would think that this would drive me to anger, that I would be upset, and there’s a little frustration in it, but at the end of the day, all we can do is just pray for the people like that,” he said.

Despite his situation, Heard says he’s still grateful for all the support he has received.

“This community is inspiring,” Heard said. He added that he couldn’t get a hold of Cash App.

Action News Jax reached out to the company; we’re still waiting for a response.

If you would like to help, here is a link to Heard’s proper GoFundMe account.

Cox Media Group